Nehemiah 5:1
_Cry. Ven. Bede (iii. 21.) complains of some pastors who neglect the flock, but exacted revenues. May not the same complaint still be made? (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cry. Ven. Bede (iii. 21.) complains of some pastors who neglect the flock, but exacted revenues. May not the same complaint still be made? (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Very. Syriac, "and our brethren are too numerous" to find meat. --- For, &c. Hebrew, Septuagint, &c., "by force." (Abenezra, &c.) --- Yet most people explain it in the sense of the Vulgate. It was permitted to sell children in extreme distress, Exodus xxi. 7. (Grotius) (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let us. Protestants, "We have mortgaged." --- Famine, or "hunger." (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let us. Septuagint Mont.[Montanus?], "We have borrowed" on usury, contrary to Exodus xxii. 25. The Jews were still obliged to pay tribute._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Brethren, who are still in captivity, or we are of the same nature as the rich, (Calmet) who so cruelly oppress us. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Against them, as a private rebuke would not suffice. (Tirinus)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Redeemed, by paying the ransom to the Babylonians, or by using all our endeavours to procure the releasement of our brethren. (Calmet) --- For us. Protestants, "or shall they be sold unto us?" (Haydock) --- A true pastor practises what he preaches to others. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_For them, to the Persian governors, ver. 14. (Haydock) --- Nehemias remits this pension, which was before paid by the people, and exacted by the rich. (Wolphius) --- Du Moulin asserts that there is no question of usury, which the Jews always abhorred, much less of that which the Romans called the 1... [ Continue Reading ]
_Oath of them. Priests, in private, (Menochius) who were not innocent; (Tirinus) or these were witnesses of the oath taken by the rich. (Piscator)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lap, or skirt of my robes. (Tirinus) --- Such figurative actions were very common. Thus a Roman ambassador at Carthage, folding up his garment, said he brought peace or war. (Livy xxi. 18.) (Calmet) --- Said. Behold how easily was that effected at Jerusalem, which the Romans could never perfectly b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Not eat, out of pity for the poor. (Menochius) --- He was supported by the king, (Calmet) or by his own patrimony. (Haydock) (Ver. 11.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wall, pleading no exemption, but making my servants work. (Calmet) --- Though no particular portion was assigned to him, he helped all. (Tirinus) --- No land, as I might have done, on advantageous terms. (Haydock) --- Rare example of disinterestedness! He praises himself without vanity, only to ind... [ Continue Reading ]
_Men, my brethren, not (Calmet) Persians. (Grotius) --- Them; ambassadors. (Menochius) --- If Nehemias behaved with such generosity for twelve years, he must have been very rich; or he received a great pension from the king, or voluntary and abundant contributions from the rich._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wines. This was only produced, in abundance, on extraordinary occasions; for the people of the East do not drink wine at every feast, Ecclesiasticus xxxi. 17. (Calmet) --- Yearly. Septuagint, "Moreover, loaves of extortion I did not seek, because a hard servitude lay upon this people." (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Good. A good conscience confidently hopeth for a reward. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER V.... [ Continue Reading ]